TRAVEL REVIEW: York Sweet Story

Rebecca Hay

EVERY time you take a break and eat a Kit Kat – think of its home – York.

This beautiful ancient city is chocolate heaven and now a museum dedicated to the wonderful brown liquid is pulling in the crowds.

York’s Sweet Story is new, smart and colourful and just the place for young and old chocolate lovers. And its easy to reach. East Coast Trains is one of the main providers of transport to the city. It offers a slick and professional service with plenty of regular trains to connect the country to the Yorkshire city.

For a few pounds more at the weekend you can travel first class. And its well worth it. There’s free WI Fi, an ongoing flow of complimentary soft drinks and light snacks and lovely comfortable seats in quiet carriages which give you the chance to enjoy the passing countryside as you travel.

The staff are helpful and polite too and the train really does take the strain out of having to battle through traffic.

Once in York there is so much to do, whether its stroll through The Shambles , windy streets with lots of little interesting shops. The city is home to a host of attractions from Jorvik Viking Centre and The National Railway Museum to York Minster and York Dungeon.

But it’s the chocolate museum I was licking my lips for. This newly opened museum has all the mod cons and plenty of interaction for the children to enjoy.

York has been associated with confectionery for more than 300 years, beginning thanks to Quaker Mary Tuke who opened her chocolate shop in 1725.

And it has come a long way since then, with famous sweet firms Rowntrees and Terry’s having their bases in the city. These days production is smaller, but the world famous Kit Kat bar and Polo mints still roll off the production line at a swift speed, with the Japanese people being the ones who love the Kit Kat the most and choosing odd flavours such as Wasabi!

A one-hour tour of the museum teaches you where chocolate comes from, the history of York’s connection, how it is made and a blast from the past with memorabilia from down the years.

The well set out museum is bright and easy to walk round and the best thing is, you have the chance to see a chocolatier at close hand and try some delicious truffles. Nothing beats that!

Factfile:

York Sweet Story is a must for chocolate lovers. See www.yorksweetstory.com for opening times and a virtual tour.

East Coast Trains operates two services each weekday between Glasgow and London King’s Cross. Customers travelling First Class can enjoy East Coast’s complimentary food and drinks offer plus unlimited Wi-Fi. Advanced return fares, booked online at www.eastcoast.co.uk start from £33 Standard Class or £95 First Class. Times and fares can also be found via 08457 225225 or from any staffed stations.